Essay 1: Portrait of a Place
due M-Tu Aug. 30-31 (before your class)
Write an essay that paints a vivid portrait of a real place. Make the place come alive — make the reader feel “there.” Attempt to capture its essence, its “personality”: show what kind of place this, what makes it special or unique.
Write from observation — if possible you should go there and spend some time there observing the place and the people there.
Rules
Length: No limits on length. I’m imagining something 800-1000 words in length, but it can be longer if you want.
Don’t write about: DKU, your dorm room, or your home.
How to submit: Upload your assignment as a Word document (.doc or .docx file) to the folder titled “Essay 1-Portrait of a Place” on our Box folder.
Recommendations
Write about someplace nearby — someplace you can visit easily and write about primarily from observation rather than from memory.
Avoid tourist destinations and places that are trying to give you a “pre-packaged” experience. Attempt to write about your place as it really is, rather than as we’re “supposed” to experience it.
(If you do choose a “touristy” place, use your powers of observation. Notice what’s really there, not just what you’re “supposed” to see.)
If you can, talk to someone there! Ask about other people’s opinions of the place, why they’re there, what they know about the place, its history, etc. (Notice how in “The Old House at Home” and “Short Cuts,” not only do we hear many characters speaking, but there’s a lot of information reported in the piece that the author must have learned from talking to people there.)
Notice details! Try to employ details that characterize the place — that show what kind of place it is, what kind of people go there, etc.
Try to paint scenes — create pictures in the reader’s mind.
Readings for inspiration
